McCready's brother reportedly confirmed her death with the New York Daily News. Waren Olmstead, the coroner in Cleburne County, Arkansas, said McCready died Sunday in Heber Springs but couldn't immediately provide further details, according to The Huffington Post.

McCready is survived by her two sons, Zander, aged 6, and Zayne, 10 months.

Earlier this month the troubled singer was court-ordered into rehab and her children placed into foster care. The judge said at the time that McCready may be suicidal. It is unclear who is currently taking care of her children.

McCready was reportedly struggling to come to terms with the death of her music producer boyfriend David Wilson. The father of her youngest son, Wilson died in January from an apparent self-inflicted gun wound.

The singer has previously suffered with substance abuse and appeared on US reality show Celebrity Rehab.

Born and raised in Florida as Malinda Gayle McCready she moved to Nashville at 18 to pursue a music career. She rocketed to fame after her debut album Ten Thousand Angels went multi-platinum in 1996. McCready went on to produce another four albums, including If I Don't Stay The Night and I'm Not So Tough.

Her last album, I'm Still Here, was released in 2010. Unfortunately by then the star was better known for her dramatic personal life rather than her professional success.